Viggo Mortensen and David Cronenberg share a kiss at the Canadian Screen Awards

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soraya_robertsMarch 10, 2014

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David Cronenberg was the biggest winner at the 2014 Canadian Screen Awards. Not only was he honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award, but the famous film director also got a kiss on the lips from muse Viggo Mortensen.

On Sunday night, the 55-year-old "Lord of the Rings" star took the stage at Toronto's Sony Centre for the Performing Arts to present "the finest director and the sanest man I know" with the award. Handing the trophy to Cronenberg (after jokingly passing him a Montreal Canadiens flag first), the duo shared a smooch.

"Mainstream movie business people, much as they might praise him from time to time, seem very reluctant to reward him officially," Mortensen said of Cronenberg, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The actor has previously worked with Cronenberg on three movies: "A History of Violence," "Eastern Promises," and "A Dangerous Method."

"I can understand that because David basically is not one of them," Mortensen continued. "And I think they know it — a fact that probably makes them even more uncomfortable than his movies do."

Though Cronenberg's films have received various Oscar nominations (most recently in 2007 when Mortensen got Best Actor nod for "Eastern Promises"), the filmmaker himself has never been nominated.

Upon receiving his CSA and a standing ovation, the 70-year-old Toronto native gave a characteristically eccentric speech in which he thanked his peers and, in particular, his wife, producer and cinematographer Carolyn Zeifman.

"Well, you're not going to expect just a normal speech, I suppose. So, um, a man visits his doctor and he says, 'Doctor, I can't pee.' And the doctor says, 'How old are you?' He says, 'I'm 93.' The doctor says, 'You've peed enough,'" Cronenberg said. "When I was asked if I would receive this lovely award, it did occur to me that the academy was sending a message that went, 'David, you've peed enough.'"

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Quebeois filmmaker Denis Villeneuve was also toasted at the ceremony, earning trophies for best direction, cinematography, editing and score for his new film "Enemy." Canadian star Sarah Gadon also won the best supporting actress award for the film.

As well, Quebec dominated the acting awards. Gabrielle Marion-Ricard won the best actress prize for "Gabrielle" and Gabriel Arcand was named best actor for "Le Demantelement." Meanwhile, Gordon Pinsent took home the best supporting actor trophy for "The Grand Seduction."